Process and apparatus for preparing magnesium chlorid.



C. DANTSIZEN.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING MAGNESIUM CHLORID.

APPLICATION FILI-ID APR-22.1916.

LQMAQQV Pate ted-Au 20, 1913.

Inventor Christian Dantslzen,

His JTttorneg.

CHRISTIAN DAJNTSIZEN, OF SCEENECTADY, NEW

YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEG- TRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

menace.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Application filed April 22, 1916. Serial No. 92,841.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN DANTSIZEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes and Apparatus for Preparing Magnesium Chlorid, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the preparation of anhydrous magnesium chlorid from anhydrous ammonium magnesium chlorid.

chlorid is collected by condensation and is a perspective Ammonium magnesium chlorid may be prepared by mixing in water as a dissolving menstrum molecular proportions of ammonium chlorid and magnesium chlorid and evaporating to dryness. The resulting double chlorid is hydrated. The combined water may be driven off by heating the hydrous chlorid to a temperature high enough to drive 05 water, but materially below the dis sociation temperature of the salt. Preferably, the heating is so regulated that the double chlorid does not assume a temperature in excess of about 215 to 230 C. The preparation of the anhydrous ammonium magnesium chlorid is not a part of my invention, but is described and claimed in an application filed by Curtis C. Wallace, Serial No. 92821, filed concurrently herewith.

In accordance with my invention, the anhydrous chlorid is dissociated by charging the same into a fused bath maintained at a temperature in excess of 300 C., preferably as high as 500 to 600 6., this fusion referably consisting of magnesium chlori when the preparation of the pure magnesium chlorid is desired. The vaporized ammonium used over again.

In the accompanying drawings,

view of the apparatus as a whole, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the chamber in which the dissociation of ammonium magnesium chlorid occurs. r

The apparatus as shown in Fig. 1 consists of a dissociation chamber 1, into which Figure 1 the anhydrous ammonium magnesium chlorid is discharged through a hopper 2. In communication with this-chamber 1 is a condensing chamber 3 provided with a vent pipe 4. The .condensing chamber maybe very much larger in proportion to the die- 7 which sium chlorid is denser and used for the sociation chamber than indicated in the drawing. As shown inthe sectional view,-

Fig. 2, the dissociation chamber comprises a container constituted by a fire-brick wall 5 reinforced by an outer metal casing 6, and in this chamber is maintained a fusion referably consists of magnesium chlorid. f at the beginning of the operation no anhydrous magnesium chlorid is available, and the magnesium chlorid to be prepared is to be used for the electrolysis of magnesium, the dissociation apparatus may be charged with a fusion of sodium or potassium chlorid, as the presence of the latter chlorid is unobjectionable and even desirable in -the electrolytic cell. The fusion may be heated in any convenient way, but preferably the heat is internally generated by the conduction through the salt of an alternati ng current of suitable energy. This current is introduced by electrodes 8, 9, preferably consisting of carbon. The current suppl wires 10, 11, connected to the terminal cl mps 12, 13, have been indicated as carry'ng an alternating current, as it is not desired that electrolysis of metal should occur in the dissociation chamber. The salt to be dimociated is introduced through a stack 14 communicating with a hopper 2 through a conduit 15, in which is located a screw feed 16 operable through hand-wheel 17. The fusion should be main, tained at a temperature materially in excess of 300 0., at which temperature the double chlorid begins to dissociate. As magnesium chlorid fuses at a temperature of about 500 to 600 (1, no particular attention needs to be paid to the temperature when the fusion consists of this salt as long as the ma econtinuously maintaine in a fused state. The volatilized ammonium chlorid escapes through a communicating accumulations of ammomum chlorid are removed from time to time from the conpreparation of fresh quantities of ammonium magnesium chlorid. he ammonium chlorid may be immediately dissolved, as fast as it is volatilized, by a spray of .water in the condensing chamber. The quantities of magnesium chlorid are removed from the fusion from time to time through a tap hole 19, by removing a plug 20.

ing

What 1 ciaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Pateni of the United States, is:

1. The process of pzeparing anhydrous magnesium chlorid which consists in maintaining in a fused state a quantity of magnesium chiorid in an inoiosed space, and

'i l I charging anhydrous ammonium magnesium into magnesium fiiliofid and ammonium chiorid, conducting away the vaporized ammonium chioiid, and collecting the magnesium chloi'id for use. 9

a. The process of preparing anhydrous magnesium chlorid which consists in charg- Ling anhydrous ammonium magnesium chlorid into an inciosed space, heating said BhiOIid Within said space to a temperature high enough to dissociate said ammonium magnesium chlorid into magnesium chiorid and ammonium chiorid, the ammonium chiorid being vaporized, recovering the ammonium chioiid by condensation in a. closed space, removing portions of said magnesium ohlorid for use and replenishing said hath by adding ammonium magnesium chiorid Whiie maintaining the space above said bath closed, i

Witness whereof, K have hereuntosei; hand this 21st day of april, 193.6. s

- CE-IEESTMQ DANlSiZEh-U 

